


.scandal

by AkaToMidori



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: AU, Drama, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:13:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22308484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AkaToMidori/pseuds/AkaToMidori
Summary: A scandal rocks Sho's office – and his life.
Relationships: Aiba Masaki/Sakurai Sho
Comments: 3
Kudos: 24
Collections: Sakuraiba Tanabata 2019-2020





	.scandal

**Author's Note:**

> _Jan 18_  
>  Prompt: “We finish it the same way we started—together.”

Jun barged into Sho’s office with his laptop in his arms.

“Did you see it?” he asked, with a serious expression.

Sho nodded gravely. He sighed and covered his face with his hands. “It was private information. How did they find out?” he asked.

Noticing that the people outside were looking at them, Jun closed the door behind him. He stepped forward and placed his laptop on Sho’s desk, sitting down in front of him.

“I talked to Ohno-san. He thinks your phone must have been hacked and your location tracked. That’s how they knew where you’d be. He talked to his friend Ninomiya who’s some kind of tech wiz, and he advises we get the police to help on this.” He bit on his nails. “This is bad, Sakurai-san.”

Sho sighed again. He looked at the bracelet on his left wrist and played with it. “I know it is.”

“The public will think you lied,” Jun continued. “This won’t be good for your credibility. You might lose voters.”

Sho chuckled humorlessly. “Maybe I’ll gain some too, who knows?”

The other man slapped his laptop close abruptly. “I don’t think you realize how dire the situation is for you – for all of us – right now, Sakurai-san. Your opponent was already pulling ahead in the last poll, and now with this scandal, you might not be able to recover.”

“Trust me, Matsumoto-kun, I know exactly how fucked up my situation is right now,” he replied, tiredly.

“And how about Aiba-san? Does he know?”

Sho shook his head. “I don’t think so, no. I was about to call him when you came in. His face wasn’t visible in any of the pictures, so I guess his agent won’t feel the need to tell him.”

“He might find out soon though, the news made the headlines.”

“I’ve always wanted to be famous,” Sho joked.

Jun gave him a disapproving look. He adjusted his glasses and hummed, suddenly lost in thoughts. “We have to move fast. I will call an emergency press conference so you can reassure the public. You’ve always been a private person, and you’ve always declined to answer questions about your private life. It’s not your fault they assumed you were with that woman they photographed you with last month. This time, unfortunately,” he paused for a second, “the evidence is overwhelming. You can’t deny that you’re in a relationship with a man.” He got his phone out and started typing. “I’m making a draft of the speech you will give to the press, and I’ll bring it to you in a bit. I’ll try to schedule the conference for two hours from now so you’ll have time to prepare.”

Sho nodded gravely. “Thanks, Matsumoto-kun.”

Bowing his head slightly, Jun pocketed his phone. Then, he grabbed his laptop and went out, closing the door behind him. Left alone in his office again, Sho got his phone out of his pocket and dialled a number.

Aiba picked up after a couple of rings.

“Hello,” he answered, sleepily.

“Good morning, baby,” Sho said.

“Sho-chan,” Aiba’s voice was slurred, and Sho couldn’t help but smile at that. “Good morning.”

“Did you just wake up, sleepy head?”

Aiba hummed. “I woke up in the middle of the night because I was inspired, so I couldn’t sleep after that.” Sho heard the noise of rustling sheets as Aiba got up from his bed. “I missed you so much last night,” he complained.

“I missed you too, baby. I can’t wait to hear your new song,” Sho said. “Listen,” he tapped his fingers on the desk, “there’s something I need to talk to you about.”

“So serious, Sho-chan,” Aiba teased him. “Are you breaking up with me? Because a break-up song is exactly what’s been missing from this album, so you’d actually be doing me a favor.”

“Of course not,” Sho replied. “But you might want to break up with me after I tell you this,” he sighed.

“What’s wrong, Sho? You’re actually starting to worry me,” Aiba said, this time seriously.

Sho rubbed his face with his hand. “Someone followed us. Me, actually. They’ve taken pictures of us together, and they’re all over the internet now. No one knows it’s you though,” he added quickly. “They probably didn’t see you, and your face isn’t visible in any of the photos, luckily. Otherwise it would have been the scoop of the century, huh?” He joked. “Renowned rock star Aiba Masaki dating famous politician and aspiring minister Sakurai Sho. What a shame for the paparazzi.”

There was silence from the other side of the line. Sho heard Aiba click away on his keyboard, probably looking for the pictures. Suddenly, the noise stopped, and all Sho could hear was his boyfriend taking a deep breath.

“These are...” Aiba started, incredulous. “We were in a hotel room when these were taken. Sho, this is a total invasion of our privacy,” he said, furious.

“I know.”

“Did you call the police?”

“Ohno-san is on it,” Sho said.

There was another brief moment of silence.

“How are you?” Aiba asked, his tone turning soft. “How are you handling this?”

“Matsumoto-kun is calling a press conference in two hours. I will have to publicly come out and apologize to my voters for keeping the truth from them.”

“That’s bullshit,” the other man hissed. “Apologize for what? We weren’t doing anything wrong.”

“I know that and you know that, Masaki. But this is actually bad for my campaign. Voters want their minister to be a family man with a nice wife and cute kids, not a gay man with a gorgeous boyfriend,” he said, bitterly. “I might even have to resign.”

“No, you won’t,” Aiba said firmly.

“What do you mean?”

“I will come out too. At your conference,” he said.

“I can’t ask you to do that, Masaki,” Sho said. “You can’t risk your career too.”

Aiba scoffed. “I don’t care. We will show them that you can be a great minister even if you’re a gay man with a bad fashion sense and a gorgeous boyfriend.”

“Hey! I never said the bad fashion sense part,” Sho protested.

“My bad,” the other man said, giggling soflty. “I’m here for you, Sho-chan. Whatever happens, we finish it the same way we started—together.”

Sho smiled. “Together.”

“I’ll see you in a bit, then.”

“Wait!” Sho stopped him before he closed the call. “Thank you for doing this, Masaki.”

“I love you, silly,” Aiba said, before hanging up.

_Aiba: I’m almost there._

_Aiba: We’ll take the world by storm!_

_S.Sakurai: Matsumoto-kun is already freaking out._

_S.Sakurai: You should have seen his face when I told him you were going to be here too._

_Aiba: He deserves a raise._

_S.Sakurai: He does._

“Sakurai-san.” He pocketed his phone as Jun approached him. “We will be ready to go out in ten, is Aiba-san coming?”

Sho wiped his hands on his pants. “He’s on his way.”

“Alright.” The man nodded, concern straining his face.

As Jun walked away, Sho’s phone vibrated again.

_Aiba: I can’t wait to kiss you in front of the cameras!_

He bit back a laugh. Jun would really hate that.

_S.Sakurai: Me too, baby._

As soon as he sent the message, he heard a familiar ping. He looked up, and he felt all the stress he was feeling melt away when his eyes stopped on Aiba, who was walking towards him in the backstage.

“You made it,” Sho said.

Aiba beamed at him and gave him a quick kiss, unbothered by all the other people in the room.

Sho looked away, flustered. “There are no cameras around yet.”

“A little sneak preview for you,” Aiba said, giving him a smug smile. “Are you ready?”

Sho nodded and smiled softly at him.

“You and me,” he said, taking Aiba’s hand and interlocking their fingers together. “Let’s take the world by storm.”


End file.
